The University of Saskatchewan and the Kelsey Trail Health Region are partnering on a pilot project that they hope will improve back pain care for rural residents.

Dr. Brenna Bath of the U of S Physical Therapy department is leading the research team.

She explains that they are looking for people who have suffered back pain consistently for at least three months.

"We're asking those folks if they do participate they go through an assessment with a nurse practitioner at the Arborfield Health Centre. They will be joined by a physical therapist out of Saskatoon with special training in back pain assessment through Telehealth."

If you are interested in getting involved call 306-966-8316 or you can email back.research@usask.ca

The assessments will take place through November until January. They are looking for people between the ages of 18-30 and have had back pain for at least three months.

"Things like being a farmer or in the agricultural industry are particularly risky areas for back pain," Bath explained when asked why venture to rural areas for this program. 

"People in rural and remote communities, especially in the KTHR may have more limited access to health services like physical therapy."

Bath adds what they would like to see accomplished from the study.

"What we're really looking to do is evaluate different ways of delivering healthcare in rural and remote communities that look at team based care and how we can use different types of technology to optimize that care."

They hope to report the results in June of next year.

You can hear more from Bath below in her interview with Bolt FM's Clark Stork.